[turboNath]

The title of your thread takes me back to a masterpiece by Ray - ‘Aranyer Dinratri’. That movie was my first tryst with the Palamu region. And your travelogue paints vivid colors on those b/w frames from the classic !
Your photographs from the lush green forest covers makes me believe that Netarhat can give serious competition to North Bengal during monsoons. The opening sequence of ‘Kashful’ seems like a perfect reminder of the fact that the festive season is just around the next corner ! I had made multiple plans to visit this region in the recent past but sadly none of them materialised. I hope to visit this stunning place real soon and preferably during monsoon. And before I forget, I have to tell you that cooking chicken curry is probably the best way to ‘inaugurate’ a butane stove and the picture tells me that you have done a great job indeed !

Loved going through every bit of this journey. Thanks for sharing !

[kartoosh]

Very nice travelogue with great set of pictures. Always love to see people not holding themselves and enjoying the beauty of travel even during these trying times.

[gmhossain]

Amazing! Sayak, I guess, you are real quick with your car as well as with the keyboard. This beautiful travelogue of your appeared even before I could fully digest your message that you wrote to me. The pictures of misty roads here are simply breath-taking.

Originally Posted by sayakc

Prior to the trip I had purchased a butane gas stove– it was time to put it to good use. And what better way than to christen it with some chicken curry.

This is a real stunner. My daughter has been asking me to go for a picnic somewhere near a lake where we could cook our food. Of course, it's easy for her to describe an imaginary picnic spot. However, for me, to find such a real place in Google Maps where we can cook as well, is not an easy task. However, with your idea, maybe we could make it a reality someday!

Cheers,

[haisaikat]

An autumn rendezvous with hills, forests and kash, completely refreshed the morning. What a remarkable way to describe and paint a well crafted tour through words and photos. Left me spellbound for quite a while as I am busy bookmarking it for future. The aggressive Dasam and Hudru falls or the misty moments in the forest or the sight of kash laden meadows with the Blue hills in the back drop made this trip a compelling one for us to consider in must go list for future.

Thank you for taking us along with you on this dream journey. Rated well deserved 5 stars.

Do you remember the breakfast joint name and location on the way to Jhargram?

[sayakc]

Dear Abhishek,

Thanks or the nice words! The chicken curry did come out really well and in those settings it was just too good.

Regarding writing, I believe that your writing skills are diverse. I was looking at a recent response of your on a different thread (don't remember exactly which but it wasn't a travelogue) and I found the zeal and energy of your response was catchy.

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

A symphony interspersed with beautiful pictures and equally brilliant words. You have possibly put words into every possible traveller’s thought process by the highlighted words in your post. As I always say, you have a way with your words but we also got to know this time that you can rustle up some mean chicken curry while on the road and utilising a butane stove...... Wonderfully penned down log of an equally eventful journey. Thanks for sharing,Regards.

Thanks hothatchaway! There are vast tracts of pine forests in the whole area. And it does look beautiful when the sun peers through the thin canopy of the trees.

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

Just awesome!....Didn't realize that there were pine forests in the area. The chicken curry picnic in that kind of a setting must have been sublime!

Thanks Pawan! Great that you are back and active on the forum. With a kid, for taking things slow, this will be a nice trip. But one thing to keep in mind is, Betla or Netarhat does not have luxury/high end accommodation.

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Beautiful !! Like always, you have discovered another hidden gem for us to explore. The itinerary looks perfect & would like to do this trip soon.

Thanks Sumanta for the nice words! With a 5 day window, we thought for a while on the places to visit especially when North Bengal/Sikkim hills are done and dusted and so is the Purulia/Bankura region. So, we thought why not venture around to Jharkhand especially when roads are great and so are the sceneries

Originally Posted by Neversaygbye

Incredible pics and description! Thank you for showcasing a weekend destination from Calcutta, which is not in the top of mind of most people. Your travelogue will be of immense help in planning a trip to Netarhat.

Great that this travelogue acted as a refresher of your memories! Netarhat is a beautiful place and Jharkhand is a great state to explore for sure.

Originally Posted by katariusmaximus

Thanks for sharing this! Brings back memories from childhood. Had visited Neterhat from Ranchi with my parents while I was in grade 9th I believe.

Dear Stribog,
Hills and and more prominently hillocks galore in the Central and Eastern parts of India. These are the Eastern Ghats, which unlike the Westerns ghats are much, much older and lower in height. You may read a line or two about Deomali which at approximately 1600 metres is Orissa's highest peak - and is a part of the Eastern Ghats.

Originally Posted by Stribog

I did not know that the central part of India had such mountains.Am now on Googlemaps figuring out the driving time to Ranchi

Dear Soumik,
I think you are doing absolute injustice by not putting out travelogues of the several places you have visited in the past. I have stated earlier too, that they will act as a wealth of information for fellow travellers. Besides, I have seen your short snippets on the Bengal thread and they are crispy reads for us.

Originally Posted by soumiksett

Stunning photolog Sayak da, you got marvelous weather. The open lunch at Koel View Point is the best part of Netarhat I think. Thanks for sharing.I have done these circuits separately, 2 days for Ranchi and 4 days for Netarhat and Betla circuit.

Dear Saket,
One of the key reasons why we chose Jharkhand was the support and cooperation that I received from you. The way you guided and help me all along right from trip planning to its execution and finally our rendezvous was much needed and appreciated especially by my family. Patratu remains to be visited. So, I will let you know in due course!!

Originally Posted by saket77

What a fantastic travelogue!! You have put down your experience in words as beautifully as it could have been. And some beautiful captures too. In fact, some of the pictures have an uncanny resemblance to our NE trips. After reading your extremely well scripted travelogue, I feel like visiting Netarhat again!

Thank you swiftvxi06!

Originally Posted by swiftvxi06

What an amazing travelogue. Just loved it. The pictures are absolutely stunning.

I think Samba, you are the one who sets a trend for the others like us to follow. We were a little worried about the insurgency problem in the Jharkhand region, but your your travelogue on Ranchi/Netarhat dispelled all the doubts. And we got to know the road conditions and beauty of those places and helped us in zeroing on the destination.

Originally Posted by Samba

Amazing.When a travelogue came from you, I knew it's going to be an engaging read & this one is no different. The breathtaking pics are the icing on the cake. Rated 5*.

Thank you Mr. Ogre. We too believe that food and travel form a symbiotic relationship. Right from the picnic chicken curry to the fresh fish curry at a road side stop near Daltongunj to the sizzlers at Ranchi, we had a great experience with food this time.

Originally Posted by Mr.Ogre

Super awesome travelogue. Beautiful pictures, and I always love travelogues with pictures of food
No joy in travel unless accompanied by good food.

Dear Turbo,
Thanks for the nice words! Nostalgic is definitely one word that comes when describing the Palamou region and thats due to Ray's movie.

You and Saikat played a big role in this trip by suggesting the stove. And i think its a gem of a machine - portable, light and super efficient.

Originally Posted by turboNath

The title of your thread takes me back to a masterpiece by Ray - ‘Aranyer Dinratri’. That movie was my first tryst with the Palamu region. And your travelogue paints vivid colors on those b/w frames from the classic !

Many thanks kartoosh for the nice words. These little travel windows are the only respite for the continuous work and stay at home routine for most of us.

Originally Posted by kartoosh

Very nice travelogue with great set of pictures. Always love to see people not holding themselves and enjoying the beauty of travel even during these trying times.

Dear Golam-da,
The pandemic has confined us to our homes for quite sometime now. And to utilize the spare capacity - by saving office commutes, regular bazaars, mall and Gariahat/New market hopping - I put it to penning the travelogue.
Now coming to the picnic and stove - I think we can find many such places in the suburban areas say Susunia/Ajodhya area and winters are the time to really indulge.

Originally Posted by gmhossain

Amazing! Sayak, I guess, you are real quick with your car as well as with the keyboard. This is a real stunner. My daughter has been asking me to go for a picnic somewhere near a lake where we could cook our food. Of course, it's easy for her to describe an imaginary picnic spot. However, for me, to find such a real place in Google Maps where we can cook as well, is not an easy task. However, with your idea, maybe we could make it a reality someday!

Thank you for the nice wordsSaikat. The first 3 days of our trip did give the feel of autumn with the cottony white clouds in the bright blue skies. That, coupled with the great weather of Netarhat sometime did make us feel that Darjeeling isn't far. "Joy Ma Tara" is the name of the food joint. I had taken a photo of the place too - will share, if needed.

Originally Posted by haisaikat

An autumn rendezvous with hills, forests and kash, completely refreshed the morning. What a remarkable way to describe and paint a well crafted tour through words and photos. Do you remember the breakfast joint name and location on the way to Jhargram?

[scuderiamania]

Hi Team,

I am looking for some assistance in selecting the a good accomodation for 1 night in Netarhat. I am planning to travel to Netarhat in the first week of March and will be travelling with my wife and parents. Hence, am looking at clean options which need not be luxurious but should be clean.

Looking for to some good recommendations.

[sayakc]

Hi,

Most options are pretty basic. Tourism has taken pace in Jharkhand but is yet to mature.You can stay at Arunodaya guest house - clean, large rooms. Food is decent.

https://latehartourism.com.
Contact- +919470938399

Best Regards.

Originally Posted by scuderiamania

Hi Team,

I am looking for some assistance in selecting the a good accomodation for 1 night in Netarhat. I am planning to travel to Netarhat in the first week of March and will be travelling with my wife and parents. Hence, am looking at clean options which need not be luxurious but should be clean.

Looking for to some good recommendations.

[soumiksett]

Originally Posted by scuderiamania

Hi Team,

I am looking for some assistance in selecting the a good accomodation for 1 night in Netarhat. I am planning to travel to Netarhat in the first week of March and will be travelling with my wife and parents. Hence, am looking at clean options which need not be luxurious but should be clean.

Looking for to some good recommendations.

Best stay at Netarhat is Hotel Prabhat Vihar of Jharkhand Tourism. It is very easy to book online. Below is the link:

https://tourism.jharkhand.gov.in/

They have Luxurious tent, Old Block and New Block. I will recommend the new block.

This hotel is very good in location, with huge car parking facility. Attached canteen serves good food. Beautiful valley view is available from the room. Moreover you will witness the famous sunrise of Netarhat from your bed only.

Luxurious tents and Old Block



My son in front of New Block


More two decent options are Netarhat Forest Bunglow and Palamu Dak Bunglow. But the booking procedure is very hazardous.

Netarhat Forest Bunglow


Palamu Dak Bunglow